Bio

Ronnie Thornton was born in 1965. Little is known about his early life. The information available indicates he had a troubled upbringing. As he grew up, he became involved with different people, including his girlfriend, Shirley Lavant. They lived together with her three children, including a two-year-old daughter named Artealia Lavant.

Throughout his adult life, Thornton struggled to maintain steady employment and was often unemployed. During this time, he took on the role of the primary caretaker for Shirley's children while she worked. This situation revealed concerns about the environment in which the children were raised. There were reports of neglect, and the children were seen suffering from physical injuries.

Murder Story

Ronnie Thornton was involved in the tragic death of a young girl named Artealia Lavant. On May 7, 1991, he was caring for Artealia, who was only two years old and the daughter of his girlfriend. When Artealia's mother, Shirley Lavant, returned home that day, she found Thornton standing over Artealia's lifeless body. Thornton claimed that the child had choked on pizza and that he had performed CPR on her.

Emergency services were called, but they could not revive Artealia. Medical personnel at the hospital noticed multiple bruises on both Artealia and her older sister, Cynthia. They reported their concerns to the Department of Family and Children's Services due to the signs of abuse. In an interview, Cynthia stated that "Ron did it" when asked about her bruises.

An autopsy revealed that Artealia had suffered severe injuries, particularly to her head, indicating that her death was not caused by choking. Instead, the cause of death was attributed to significant head trauma. The investigation revealed a history of abuse in the household, with both Artealia and Cynthia showing signs of physical harm. When questioned, Shirley Lavant, the children’s mother, eventually pleaded guilty to cruelty to children for her role in the environment of abuse.

Thornton was arrested the day after the incident. In November 1992, he was convicted and sentenced to death for his actions. However, in 1994, the state Supreme Court reversed his convictions due to procedural issues with the way child testimony was handled during the trial. A retrial had not taken place by September 1997, at which point Thornton was moved off death row and resentenced to life in prison.